The açaí berry is a small, round, black-purple fruit similar in appearance to a grape. It grows in branched particles (500 to 900 fruits) on açaí palm trees in Brazil, Belize and Peru. This fruit has a small seed. Since the 1990s, açaí juice, freeze-dried açaí and extracts are have been marketed globally for use in juice blends, smoothies and other beverages, and as a dietary supplement. The açaí berry is high in antioxidants and phytochemicals (disease-fighting plant compounds) thought to enhance health and offer a variety of other benefits.
Basic Nutritional Information
Açaí berries are one of the fruits with the highest antioxidant content, even more so than blueberries. They must be harvested carefully because they are highly perishable and their nutritious properties are only active for 24 hours. As soon as they are picked, the berries are loaded into baskets and boats and transported to local markets and ports to be sold. Therefore, in the United States, the largest market is for freeze-dried açaí berry pulp, juice or powder supplements. The açaí berry offers approximately 247 calories per 100-gram serving. A 50-gram serving of powdered, freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin provides about 265 calories, 26 g carbohydrates (22 g dietary fiber), 4 g protein and 16 g fat (mostly oleic acid or monounsaturated fat). The powder is particularly rich in calcium and vitamin A.
Antioxidant Content
The açaí fruit has been found to offer the highest phytochemical content (and antioxidant power) of any fruit or vegetable. Classes of phytochemicals known as polyphenols are found in the fatty component of the fruit. Unfortunately, these compounds degrade significantly during storage or exposure to heat. The powdered, freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin is rich in another class of phytochemcials known as anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are important for a healthy cardiovascular system. They are particularly rich in purple-red fruits and vegetables. It is important to note that the antioxidant content of the freeze-dried powder preparations, depending upon manufacturer, vary greatly. For example, a study published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" measured the antioxidant content in different brands of powder and found that certain formulations offered a much lower content (overall) of anthocyanins and other polyphenol compounds when compared to antioxidant-rich fruits, such as blueberries.
Dietary Supplement Claims
The açaí berry has been marketed as a dietary supplement in the form of tablets, juices, smoothies and instant drink powders. Claims have been made that preparations made with açaí extract increase energy, enhance weight loss, improve sexual function, improve digestion, help to detoxify the body, improve sleep and skin appearance, and reduce cholesterol. Because açaí freeze-dried fruit pulp and skin is very high in dietary fiber, it may indeed improve blood cholesterol levels, and phytochemicals do offer health benefits. However, according to the website Quackwatch, açaí juice offers only mid-levels of antioxidants, less than Concord grape, blueberry and black cherry juices, but more than cranberry, orange and apple juices. The extent to which the polyphenols and other compounds in this fruit benefit health outside of providing antioxidant benefits warrants further research, but thus far, there is no credible scientific evidence that açaí extract consumption affects body weight, sexual performance, sleep or energy levels.
References
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Phytochemical and Nutrient Composition of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry; A.G. Schauss, X. Wu, R.L. Prior, et. al.; 2006
- "HortScience"; Plant Pigments for Color and Nutrition; P.W. Simon; 1997
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Antioxidant capacity and other bioactivities of the freeze-dried Amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae mart. (acai); A.G. Schauss, X. Wu, R.L. Prior, et. al.; Nov 2006
- CSPI Warns Consumers about Web-Based Açai Scams; Mar 2009
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